As the Canadian wildfires that have already forced thousands to evacuate continue to grow, the world is getting its first glimpse of damage and destruction left behind near Fort McMurray, Alberta.
SEE ALSO:Destructive Canadian wildfire fueled in part by global warming
According to the BBC, the fire has now grown to over 200,000 acres and has forced even more evacuations.
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The Alberta government said Thursday that more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers were fighting a total of 49 wildfires, with seven considered out of control.
Miraculously, though, there have been no reported injuries or deaths so far related to the fires.
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Unseasonably warm and dry temperatures this spring, as well as a below-average snow melt -- symptoms of climate change -- helped fuel the wildfires.
In general, wildfire season has gotten longer and burned hotter in much of the American West and Alaska, as well as the western provinces of Canada, as average temperatures have risen and snow melt has occurred earlier in the year.
Studies show these trends are linked to manmade global warming, although individual fires like the one on Tuesday are often triggered by arson, lightning and other causes.
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Ironically, Fort McMurray has been one of the biggest boom towns of Canada's Athabasca oil sands industry during the past decade. This oil, when burned, releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, warming the planet and exacerbating wildfires in the process.
Dry conditions continued Thursday, helping to fuel the fire's growth.
A false-color image of the fires burning near Fort McMurray, Alberta captured by the Landsat 7 satelliteCredit: Joshua Stevens/NASA
"Homes have been destroyed. Neighborhoods have gone up in flames. The footage we've seen of cars racing down highways while fire races on all sides is nothing short of terrifying," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in Parliament on Thursday, calling it "the largest fire evacuation in Alberta's history."
Additional reporting by Andrew Freedman and the Associated Press.
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A false-color image of the fires burning near Fort McMurray, Alberta captured by the Landsat 7 satelliteCredit: Joshua Stevens/NASA
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